Thursday, June 02, 2005

Bob Herbert

Bob Herbert doesn't get enough credit "out there." He writes about issues that others prefer to ignore. He writes about morality without preaching, about injustice, about hypocrisy. Perhaps his prose is understated, and that's why he doesn't get more notice and praise.

But I respect him and his writing, because the topics he writes about are overwhelming (American torture, the Tulia, Texas miscarriage of justice) and he speaks clearly and strongly about these topics.

The lessons of Watergate and Vietnam are that the checks and balances embedded in the national government by the founding fathers (and which the Bush administration is trying mightily to destroy) are absolutely crucial if American-style democracy is to survive, and that a truly free and unfettered press (which the Bush administration is trying mightily to intimidate) is as important now as it's ever been.